Long handled trowel with adjustable weights

Abstract

A trowel (10) for surfacing cement work such as driveways, floors, or the like, is provided. The trowel includes a blade assembly (12) having a flexible blade member (14) with a lower surface and an upper surface. A rib base (22) is mounted on the upper surface (18) of the blade member (14) to provide reinforcement. A handle (32) is pivotally connected at one end portion to the blade assembly (12) such that an operator can move the blade member (14) over the surface of the concrete from a remote location. Adjustable weights (46A-B) can be selectively added to or taken away from the blade assembly (12) to vary the effective weight of the trowel. These weights (46A-B) are selectively positioned on the blade assembly (12) to maintain the ability of the blade member (14) to flex approximate its edge portions, and to enhance the smoothness of a produced surface.

I claim: 
     
       1. A trowel for surfacing unsolidified concrete work such as driveways, floors or the like, by an operator, which comprises: a rectangular flexible blade member of substantially planar configuration defining a pair of parallel longitudinal edges and a pair of end edges and having a lower surface to contact said concrete work, and an upper surface;   an H-shaped rib base mounted on said upper surface of said blade member to provide reinforcement thereof, said rib base having an upper surface, with legs of said H-shaped rib base extending substantially parallel with said longitudingal edges of said blade member but spaced therefrom sufficiently to permit flexing of said blade member at said longitudinal edges during said surfacing;   handle means having a first end pivotally connected to said rib base proximate a center of said rib base, and a further end for grasp by said operator, whereby said operator can move said blade member with said handle means;   weight engaging means mounted on said upper surface of said rib base; and   weight means releasably engaged with said wieght engaging means for being selectively added to or taken from said trowel by said operator to vary the effective weight of said trowel, said weight means not contacting said blade member so as to adversely affect flexing of said blade member, said weight means provided with a notched opening in an edge to receive said first end of said handle means to thereby facilitate said selective adding or removing of said weight means.   
     
     
       2. The trowel of claim 1 wherein said weight engaging means comprises a plurality of upright posts mounted on said rib base, and wherein said weight means is provided with a plurality of openings which register with said upright posts. 
     
     
       3. The trowel of claim 1 wherein said weight means comprises a plurality of weights and each of said weights is substantially rectangular in outline and whereby said outline of said weights is smaller than the outline of said blade member such that said weights are positioned on said trowel at a location spaced from said edges of said blade member thereby allowing said edges to flex during troweling operations. 
     
     
       4. The trowel of claim 1 wherein said rib base includes an upright standard member provided with a transverse opening mounted proximate its mid-portion, and wherein said first end poriton of said handle means carries a clevis which is pivotally connected to said standard with a pivot through said opening thereby allowing said blade means to pivot with respect to said handle means. 
     
     
       5. A trowel for surfacing unsolidified concrete work such as driveways, floors or the like by an operator, which comprises; a rectangular flexible blade member of substantially planar configuration defining a pair of parallel longitudinal edges and a pair of end edges and having a lower surface to contact said concrete work, and an upper surface;   an H-shaped rib base mounted on said upper surface of said blade member to provide reinforcement thereof, said rib base having legs of said H-shape extending substantially parallel with said longitudinal edges of said blade member but spaced therefrom sufficiently to permit flexing of said blade member at said longitudinal edges during said surfacing, each of said legs of said H-shaped rib base being provided with an upstanding post member proximate an end of said leg;   an upright standard attached to said rib base proximate a central point of said H-shaped rib base, said upright standard provided with a transverse opening;   a handle means having a first end terminating with a clevis and pin for engaging said upright standard at said transverse opening to define a pivot mechanism for said handle means, and a further end for grasp by said operator during said surfacing; and   at least one weight member being substantially rectangular in outline, with said outline being smaller than an outline of said blade member to thereby prevent interfering with flexing of said longitudinal edges of said blade member during said surfacing, said weight member being provided with four openings for releasable engagement with said upstanding post members whereby said operator can add to or remove from said rib base said weight member to affect the effective weight of said trowel, and whereby said weight member is further provided with a notched opening along one longitudinal edge to receive said pivot mechanism of said handle means to thereby facilitate said selective adding or removing said weight.